Langur - Animals Town Langur Diet: herbivore Average lifespan: Size: Males are up to 75 cm [2.3 ft.] females up to 65 cm [2.1 ft.] Weight: around 20 kg Group name: group Langur monkeys are also known as Leaf Monkeys because they mainly eat leaves. There are various species of Langur monkeys. These monkeys are very agile animals they have long limbs and tails, which they use to climb trees and they can jump as far as 10 meters. Langur monkeys live together in groups of 10 to 40 monkeys. Langur video. What does a Langur look like? Langurs vary from color depending on their habitat some are red, brown, golden, black or grey and some are a pale color, even white. The Langur monkeys are larger or smaller depending on their location. Male langurs are larger than females. They have slender bodies with a long tail. Where does the langur live? Langur monkeys are found across India, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Burma and Sri Lanka. Langur monkeys stay in groups of 10 to 40 monkeys.

You can find them in forests, mangrove swamps and even urban areas. What does a langur eat? Langurs feed on fruit, flowers and leaves they find in their surroundings. Most food they find is bound to the season. In the winter they mainly eat leaves, in the summer they eat the fruit they find in trees. In addition to their diets they also eat insects. Did you know about these langur facts? Langur monkeys can jump over rivers. The Gray Langur monkey is the most common monkey in South Asia with about 300,000 existing today. - The langur is considered endangered. Langurs cannot swim. In the wild the langur monkey lives for up to twenty years. Langur images Download free Langur wallpapers, click on the image to open the large version. Langur wallpaper 1 Print free Langur coloring pages, click on the image to open the large version. Langur coloring page 1 langur | primate | Britannica.com primate chordate Langur, general name given to numerous species of Asian monkeys belonging to the subfamily Colobinae. The term is often restricted to nearly two dozen species of leaf monkeys but is also applied to various other members of the subfamily.

Leaf monkeys and other langurs are gregarious , diurnal, and basically arboreal monkeys with long tails and slender bodies. The limbs, hands, and feet are also long and slender. Depending on species, the head and body are about 40 to 80 cm (16 to 31 inches) long and the tail about 50 to 110 cm; weight varies from 5.5 kg (12 pounds) in the smallest species, the white-fronted langur (Presbytis frontata) of Borneo, up to 15 kg in the female and 19 kg in the male of the Himalayan langur (Semnopithecus schistaceus). Leaf monkeys have long fur, and many species have characteristic caps or crests of long hair. Colour varies among species but is commonly gray, red, brown, or black, and adults usually have black faces. The colour of the young, born singly after five to six months’ gestation, differs from that of adults and possibly serves to arouse the protective instincts of the adults. Mothers are protective but allow other females to help care for the young.

Like the related colobus monkeys of Africa, langurs have large, complex stomachs adapted to a diet of leaves, fruit, and other vegetation. The gray, or Hanuman , langur (S. entellus) of the Indian subcontinent is almost black when newborn and gray, tan, or brown as an adult. Regarded as sacred in Hinduism, it spends a good deal of time on the ground and roams at will in villages and temples of India and Nepal, raiding crops and the stores of merchants. The Hanuman langur usually lives in bands of about 20 to 30, though some troops number over 100. In some regions troops include several dominance-ranked adult males, though elsewhere there is only a single adult male per troop. In single-male troops, surplus males live in small bachelor bands that occasionally attempt to oust a troop leader. If successful, one of the bachelors takes over the troop and attempts to kill the unweaned infants in order to bring the females quickly back into estrus (mating condition). Similar Topics colobus Leaf monkeys of genus Trachypithecus are also called brow-ridged langurs.

They live in Southeast Asia from Bhutan and southern China to Java and are smaller and more arboreal than Hanuman langurs. The newborn are a bright golden colour. There are 10 to 15 species, including the beautiful golden langur (T. geei) from Bhutan, the spectacled langur (T. obscurus) from the Malay Peninsula , with white eye rings and pink muzzle, and a group of black langurs with white markings on the head and body, including François’ langur (T. francoisi) and its relatives, which live in the limestone country of northern Vietnam, Laos, and parts of southeastern China ( Kwangsi ). The purple-faced langur (T. vetulus) of Sri Lanka and the rare Nilgiri langur (T. johnii) of southern India may be more closely related to the Hanuman. Leaf monkeys of the genus Presbytis are confined to Malaysia and western Indonesia, where they are mostly known by the local name surili; brow-ridged langurs of this region are generally called lutung.

Most of the 10 or so Presbytis species are white on the underside and on the inner aspect of the thigh, contrasting sharply with the dark upper side. The newborn are white with a thick dark line from crown to rump and another at right angles across the shoulders (“cruciger” pattern). Most species live in small territorial groups of one male and two to four females with their young, but one, the joja (P. potenziani) of the Mentawai Islands of Indonesia, is unique among Old World monkeys in that it always lives in monogamous pairs. Primate Factsheets: Gray langur (Semnopithecus) Taxonomy, Morphology, & Ecology Genus: Semnopithecus Species: S. ajax, S. dussumieri, S. entellus, S. hector, S. hypoleucos, S. priam, S. schistaceus Other names: Hanuman langur, sacred langur, Indian langur; S. ajax: dark-eyed Himalayan langur, Himalayan gray langur, Kashmir gray langur, western Himalayan langur; S.

dussumieri: Dussumier's Malabar langur, southern plains gray langur; S. entellus: Bengal hanuman langur, common langur, entellus langur, gray langur, Hanuman langur, northern plains gray langur, true langur; Hanuman langur (Danish); hoelman (Dutch); hulmaani (Finnish); entelle; houleman (French); hulman (German); langur, hanuman (Hindi); entello (Italian); gooni (Kumaun Hindi); houlemán, langur común, langur hanuman (Spanish); grå hulman, hanumanlangur, himalayahulman, hulman, hulmanbladapa (Swedish); S. hector: gray langur, Hanuman langur, lesser hill langur, Tarai gray langur; S. hypoleucos: black-footed gray langur, dark-legged Malabar langur; S. priam: Madras gray langur, tufted gray langur; S. schistaceus: central Himalayan langur, Nepal gray langur.

The taxonomy of the gray langur is debated, and until recently, all gray langurs were subsumed under one species, S. entellus, or included as subspecies of S. entellus (Bennett & Davies 1994; Groves 2005). In some cases the species is still considered monotypic with different populations separated out subspecifically. Groves (2005) recognizes 7 species and his taxonomy is followed herein. The gray langur is sometimes referred to as the Hanuman langur, named after the monkey-god Hanuman. As such, gray langurs are considered sacred in the Hindu religion (Roonwal & Mohnot 1977). MORPHOLOGY Semnopithecus entellus Photo: Kamal Kumar Dua In general, gray langurs are large monkeys but vary greatly in body size between species and location (Roonwal & Mohnot 1977; Bennett & Davies 1994).

A rough gradient of decreasing size and mass exists as one moves further south in the gray langur distribution (Roonwal 1981; Napier 1985; Ray 2000). In addition, there is variation in the degree of sexual dimorphism , with some species showing profoundly larger males than females, while others show only nominal differences (Groves 2001). The overall body color of all species is grayish with a black face and ears, and a tail that is always longer than the body (Roonwal & Mohnot 1977; Roonwal 1981; Groves 2001). Northern and southern populations of gray langur differ in their method of carrying their tail, with northern populations carrying their tail pointed forward, while southern populations do so with the tail pointed backwards (Roonwal 1979; Roonwal et al. 1984). The dividing line between the two populations is roughly along a line across the Indian peninsula (Roonwal et al. 1984). S. ajax is very large in body size.

It has a yellowish-white coloration, especially on the ventrum and some brown on the dorsum and limbs with the forelimbs darkest (Groves 2001; Brandon-Jones 2004). S. dussumieri is one of the smaller gray langurs and is gray-brown or mauve with a yellowish ventrum and is one of the smaller gray langurs. The upper hindquarters are whitish and the head is creamy colored. The fingers and toes are black and sometimes the extremities and forearms are also. Overall, S. entellus has a reddish or orangish tinge, with yellow sides and a brownish or gray-brown back (Groves 2001; Brandon-Jones 2004). Body size is around average for the gray langurs (Brandon-Jones 2004). The belly is red-gold (Groves 2001). S.

hector has a white head and is overall grayish yellow, yellowish-white, or pale orange with brownish limbs, a grayish-brown back and a whitish ventrum with pale paws (Groves 2001; Brandon-Jones 2004). S. hypoleucos is a mid-sized gray langur and is purplish-brown with black limbs and an orangish belly. In addition, the body hair is longer than that on the limbs, and the tail is black (Groves 2001). S. priam is pale brown-gray, with a whitish head and a creamy yellow ventrum (Groves 2001; Brandon-Jones 2004). The body is mid-sized for a gray langur (Brandon-Jones 2004). The hands and feet are lighter than the body, the tail has a white end and the feet are sometimes almost white (Groves 2001). S. schistaceus are mid-sized gray langurs that dark brownish with a whitish head, ventrum, upper hindquarters, and tip of the tail.

Further, they have a larger body size than others among the gray langurs (Groves 2001). The combined head and body lengths of both sexes of S. schistaceous average 68.9 cm (27.1 in) but females are typically somewhat smaller than males. Males average 17.7 kg (39.0 lb) and females average 15.8 kg (34.8 lb) (Roonwal 1979). S. ajax with both sexes have a combined head and body length that averages 67.1 cm (26.4 in) and weigh on average 17.7 kg (39.0 lb). S. entellus average 63.9 cm (25.2 in) and weigh an average of 12.5 kg (27.6 lb). The head and body length of S. priam averages 61.1 cm (24.1 in) and average 12.8 kg (28.2 lb) (Roonwal 1981).

Gray langurs move primarily in a quadrupedal fashion both terrestrially and arboreally , about half of the time in each mode (Ripley 1967; Sugiyama 1976; Vogel 1977). Running is preferred to walking, both on the ground and in the trees, although both are seen. Other forms of locomotion include bipedal hops, climbing and descending supports with the body upright, and leaping (Ripley 1967; Dunbar & Badam 1998). Horizontal leaps may be 3.7-4.6 m (12.0-15.0 ft), while descending leaps may be up to 10.7-12.2 m (35-40 ft) (Ripley 1967). Further, when moving terrestrially at a medium speed, gray langurs will sometimes intermittently walk then run several steps, each in an irregular pattern (Grand 1976). Gray langurs have been seen swimming after accidentally falling into water (Agoramoorthy 1986).

In captivity, gray langurs can live into their early thirties, and in the wild males may live past 18 years old and females past 30 (Borries et al. 1991; P. Dolhinow pers comm. cited in Sommer et al. 1992; Rajpurohit et al. 1995; Weigl 2005). In captivity, females can be reproductively active well into their late 20s (P. Dolhinow pers comm. cited in Sommer et al. 1992).

RANGE Semnopithecus ajax | Semnopithecus dussumieri | Semnopithecus entellus | Semnopithecus hector | Semnopithecus hypoleucos | Semnopithecus priam | Semnopithecus schistaceus Among the colobines, gray langurs have the widest distribution, found in Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, India, Nepal and Pakistan; ranging from north India in Kashmir and the Himalayas in Nepal, Bhutan, and Tibet south to Sri Lanka, east to Bangladesh and west to the Indus valley in Pakistan (literature reviewed in Roonwal & Mohnot 1977; Rajpurohit 1992; Wang et al. 1999; literature reviewed in Ray 2000; Groves 2001; Brandon-Jones et al. 2004; Choudhury 2008). Gray langurs may exist in Afghanistan as well (Brandon-Jones 2004). Among the species, S. ajax is found between the Himalayas in northern India and Pakistan. S. dussumieri is found throughout west-central and southwestern India. S.

entellus ranges between lowland Pakistan in the west and the Godavari and Krishna Rivers in central India and north to the Ganges River. S. hector ranges from northern India in Kumaun near the western border of Nepal to Katmandu in central Nepal, restricted to the Himalayan foothills. S. hypoleucos is only found in the Kerala coastal region of southwestern India. S. priam is found on the island of Sri Lanka as well as on the mainland of southeastern India. Finally, S. schistaceus ranges in the Himalayas from central Nepal to Tibet near Mount Everest to areas of China near northwest Bhutan (Groves 2001). HABITAT Gray langurs are flexible in their habitat choice and, correspondingly, are found in a large range of habitat types and environments (Sugiyama 1976; Oppenheimer 1977; Bennett & Davies 1994). They range from arid habitats to tropical evergreen rainforests, including all forest types excepting dense rain forest and range higher than 4000 m (13123.4 ft) above sea level including areas that receive winter snows.

Other habitats include evergreen forest, moist deciduous forest , broadleaf forest, subtropical pine forest, riverine forest, dry open scrub, open park woods, desert areas, mountain foothills, mountain forests, Himalayan oak-coniferous forests, dry deciduous habitats, subtropical evergreen forest, temperate coniferous forest, sub-alpine forest, grasslands, meadows, scrub, scrub forests, mixed grasslands and forest, moist deciduous habitats and even villages, towns, residential areas, tourist areas, temple grounds orchards and areas under cultivation (Sugiyama 1976; reviewed in Vogel 1977; Bishop 1979; Roonwal 1981; Curtin 1982; Mathur & Manohar 1990; Newton 1992; reviewed in Bennett & Davies 1994; Mathur & Manohar 1994; Pirta et al. 1997; Chaudhuri et al. 2004; Rajpurohit et al. 2004).

They are rarely found in evergreen forests (Bennett & Davies 1994). They adapt well to habitats in close proximity to humans, living even in built-up areas including markets (Bennett & Davies 1994). In fact, gray langurs inhabit the city of Jodhpur, India, a city of over a million inhabitants (Waite et al. 2007). The rainfall in their habitats also varies greatly; from under 10 cm (3.9 in) annual precipitation to over 200 cm (78.7 in) (Oppenheimer 1977). Among the species, S. dussumieri is found in moist deciduous forest, dry scrub forest, dry scrub desert, dry deciduous forest and tropical broadleaf forests. S. schistaceus is found in temperate coniferous and broad leaf forests (reviewed in Kirkpatrick 2007). S. ajax is found in temperate oak-coniferous forests which encounter snowfalls during the winter (Oppenheimer 1977).

Semnopithecus entellus Photo: John Oates Himalayan populations experience strong seasonality in their habitat between cold winters (temperatures can fall as low as 19.4 °F (-7 °C)) and rainy summer monsoons (Bishop 1979; Curtin 1982). In contrast, at a different long-term study site at the Kumbhalgarh Wildlife Sanctuary in Rajasthan, India, summer temperatures usually range between 30 and 35 °C (86 and 95 °F) and as high as 46 °C (114.8 °F) while during the winter average temperatures are around 5 °C (41 °F) and can get as cold as 2 °C (35.6 °F). Average rainfall is 72.5 cm (28.5 in) at this study site (Chhangani 2002b). ECOLOGY Gray langurs are mostly vegetarian but are not exclusively leaf-eating like some colobines (Vogel 1977).

Over their distribution, gray langurs have variable diets by location, habitat type, as well as season and receive differing levels of provisioning by humans. In natural, non-provisioned populations, the diet is composed of leaves (52-61%), fruits (15-25%), flowers (4-13%), insects (0.4-3%), and other foods such as bark, gums, and soils (9-16%) (reviewed in Koenig & Borries 2001). A variety of plant foods and species are eaten across species (over 200), including deciduous and evergreen leaves, as well as leaf buds, herb leaves, coniferous needles, fruits, fruit buds and evergreen petioles (reviewed in Roonwal & Mohnot 1977; reviewed in Vogel 1977; Khan 1984; Chalise 1994-1995; Sayers & Norconk 2008). Trees and shrubs predominate, followed by herbs and grasses and finally other plant types (reviewed in Vogel 1977).

Other foods which are consumed include shoots, seeds, mosses and lichens, coniferous cones, underground plant parts, spider webs, termite mounds, cremated human remains and bones, fern rhizomes, grass, bamboo, plants under cultivation, such as potatoes, spinach, cauliflower, cotton, eggplant and radishes, and provisioned foods given by humans, such as wheat cakes, millet, and other human foods (reviewed in Oppenheimer 1977; reviewed in Roonwal & Mohnot 1977; Khan 1984; Sayers & Norconk 2008). Gray langurs sometimes drink water, but not from leaves in trees or muddy water (Oppenheimer 1977; reviewed in Roonwal & Mohnot 1977; Starin 1978; Newton 1992). However, most water is attained from the food they ingest (Starin 1978). Rarely, resins are eaten (Newton 1992).

In general, gray langurs are not picky and if a food is available and suitable, a gray langur will eat it (Koenig & Borries 2001). Usually, more mature leaves are eaten than young leaves (Koenig & Borries 2001). Bark is eaten mostly in times of food scarcity and rarely at other times (Sharma 2001). Gray langur diets change seasonally as well with shifts in food abundance. This is the case with the population (probably S. schistaceus) in the Langtang National Park, Nepal (Sayers & Norconk 2008). At this highly seasonal location, low-abundance winter (December-March) foods include leaf buds, ripe fruit, and the fallback food of evergreen mature leaves. During spring (April-May) food includes largely deciduous young leaves and bark. Summer monsoon foods (June-September) include deciduous mature leaves and fruits. Fall (October-November) foods include deciduous mature leaves, unripe fruit, and herbs, and underground plant parts (Sayers & Norconk 2008).

With seasonal changes in availability otherwise less-important foods can also become more important, as is the case with insects during the monsoon (Srivastava 1991). In one study, the consumption of insects approached almost a quarter of feeding time at the beginning of the yearly monsoon at a study site in central India (Newton 1992). Semnopithecus entellus Photo: Kamal Kumar Dua Gray langurs are diurnal , spending their nights in sleeping trees (usually more than two near to one another) in one study averaging around 12 m (39.4 ft) tall, usually selecting the highest branches (Ramakrishnan & Coss 2001; Chhangani 2002b). In less natural habitats, gray langurs have used old hunting towers or high-tension electric poles for sleeping (Sharma 2002). On an annual basis in undisturbed forest in the central Indian highlands, gray langurs spend their time feeding (25.7%), idle (41.8%), moving (13.1%), clinging (7.9%), and allogrooming (6.0%) (Newton 1992).

In Bangladesh, near the eastern limits of their distribution, gray langurs spend their days sitting (44.3%), moving (16%), feeding,(14%), playing (11.2%), social grooming (7.1%) and the rest of the day in other activities (Ahsan & Khan 2006). Himalayan gray langurs in Nepal spent their time feeding (39.8%), resting (29.2%), traveling (17.5%), grooming (9.5%), and huddling (3.2%) with the rest of their time spent in other activities (Sayers & Norconk 2008). However, there are seasonal shifts in activities, as is the case at Ambagarh Reserve Forest, Jaipur, India, where summer activities are concentrated in the morning and afternoon while in the winter most activity is at midday (Mathur & Bhatnagar 1993). Gray langurs do not follow a consistent daily regimen (Rajpurohit & Rajpurohit 2002). In addition, under provisioning, gray langurs become less active (Rajpurohit & Rajpurohit 2002).

Home ranges, like other aspects of gray langur ecology are also quite variable; from 0.07 to 22 km² (0.03 to 8.5 mi²) with the home ranges of all male groups typically larger than those of other types (Mathur & Manohar 1993; literature compiled by Chhangani & Mohnot 2006). Long-term data indicate that groups usually do not alter or move their home ranges (Newton 1994). Himalayan gray langurs (probably S. schistaceus) travel an average of 1.5 km (0.9 mi) each day annually with the longest traveled days during the winter (Sayers & Norconk 2008). In some areas, wild cattle and deer wait under arboreally feeding gray langurs and eat foods dropped by the primates (Punekar 2002). Further, nymphs of the insect Leptocoris augur may rely on langurs to crack the hard outer casings of preferred fruits and congregate below langur feeding locations to feed (Newton 1984).

Gray langurs live sympatrically with a number of other primates across their distribution, including Macaca sp. and Trachypithecus johnii (Singh et al. 2000; Ramakrishnan & Coss 2001; Choudhury 2008; Vasudev et al. 2008). Close associations between Himalayan populations of gray langurs and rhesus macaques ( Macaca mulatta ) have been seen, and a female langur has even been seen suckling an infant rhesus macaque (Das & Sharma 1980). Predators of gray langurs include leopards (Panthera pardus), dholes (Cuon alpinus) and tigers (P. tigris) (Boggess 1976; Ross 1993; Andheria et al. 2007). Wolves (Canis lupus) may be a predator, as may be golden jackals (Canis aureus) (Boggess 1976; Newton 1985).

Upon sighting snakes, gray langurs have been seen to mob the reptiles (Srivastava 1991). Content last modified: October 28, 2008 Written by Kurt Gron . Cite this page as: Gron KJ. 2008 October 28. Primate Factsheets: Gray langur (Semnopithecus) Taxonomy, Morphology, & Ecology . < Accessed 2017 January 20. Douc Langur (Douc Monkey) -Endangered animals list-Our endangered animals | KONICA MINOLTA Endangered animals list Here you can search for an animal by the first letter of its name. Sorry, currently there are no matches for []. Please search again. Your search found types of animals. Douc Langur (Douc Monkey) Pygathrix nemaeus Click the image to expand With its colorful fur, the Douc Langur is popularly regarded as the most beautiful species of monkey in the world. Their population has dropped due to habitat loss from war and deforestation, and due to their being captured for pets.

Body length: Males 55 to 63 cm, females 59.7 cm Tail length: Males 60 to 73.5 cm, females 59.7 cm Weight: Males 10.9 kg, females 8.2 kg (Source: Doubutsu Sekai-isan* Red Data Animals Kodansha) (*World Animal Heritage) The Douc Langur lives in forests in the eastern part of Indochina, such as Cambodia, Vietnam, and Laos. They like to eat vegetation such as tree leaves and fruits. Their distinct colorful patterns have earned them their reputation for being the most colorful member of the monkey family. Find out more about the Douc Langur (Douc Monkey) ! Habitat loss from war... You all know the tragedy of wars and how they have taken countless lives. In addition to human lives, war has also taken the lives of animals. The Douc Langur, regarded as the world's most beautiful species of monkey, is one such animal that has suffered from war. The Vietnam War that took place from the 1960's to the 1970's devastated much of their habitat with forest bombings and chemical pollution.

Consequently, many Douc Langurs have disappeared. Sought after for pets! Unfortunately, habitat loss continues even though the war has ended. Large-scale deforestation still goes on today to provide people with lumbar or farmland. And the Douc Langur is still often captured for pet breeding because of its adorable facial features and colorful fur. At this rate, the world's most beautiful monkey may eventually disappear from the wilderness. Langur Facts Langur Facts Langur Facts Langur is a type of monkey. There are 15 different subspecies of langurs that can be found in India, Sri Lanka, Burma, Pakistan and Bangladesh. Langurs can survive in different types of ecosystems: warm and humid swamps, dry torn scrubs, deserts, lowland and mountain forests and even urban areas. Some subspecies of langur are endangered due to habitat loss, chemical pollution and hunting. Interesting Langur Facts: Langurs can reach 17 to 31 inches in height and 11 to 40 pounds in weight. Their tail can be up to 42 inches long. Males are larger than females.

Body of the langur is covered with long fur that can be silver, grey, brown, golden, red or black. Color of the fur provides a camouflage and it depends on their environment. Langurs are also known as "leaf-eating monkeys" because they feed mostly on the leaves. Other than leaves, they also eat fruit, shoots, roots, seeds, flowers, grass. Since langur diet consists of plants only, their intestines are home to different types of bacteria that help in digestion of plant material. Plant diet does not provide a lot of energy which is the reason why langurs are not as active as other monkeys. Langurs do not drink a lot of water. They absorb water from the food they eat or drink dew and rain collected on the leaves. Langurs have excellent eyesight and sense of hearing which help them avoid the predators. Langurs spend one part of their life in the trees, and other on the ground. They can easily jump from one branch to another, or hang from the branch using prehensile tail. They walk quadrupedally (using their front and hind limbs) on the ground. Langurs are active during the day.

They spend the night hidden high in the treetops, along with other members of the group, to avoid predators. Langurs live in smaller or bigger groups called "troops". They usually consist of one male, few females and their offspring. Some troops consist of several males and females of various ages, or only of male members. Dominance in the group is accomplished through aggressive behavior and fight between males. Fight between different troops is a common phenomenon. Langurs communicate using wide variety of sounds: harsh and cough barks, rumble screams, grunts, honks, rumbles and hiccups. The most dominant male in the troop has opportunity to mate with females. Pregnancy in females lasts around seven months. Female usually gives birth to a single baby every two years. Babies are tightly associated with their mothers during the first 13 to 20 months of their life. Males will leave the troop after that period to join some other troop. Lifespan of a langur is around 20 years in the wild. Related Links: National Geographic Magazine - NGM.com A Monkey That Knows No Bounds India’s leaping langurs can be holy, helpful, or even pesky. By Jennifer S.

Holland Photograph by Stefano Unterthiner In India monkey business takes on a whole new meaning. Hanuman langurs are trained in New Delhi to scare off aggressive rhesus monkeys and other wild animals that might roam into public spaces and cause mischief. When the city hosted the 2010 Commonwealth Games last October, its municipal council used 38 langurs to help with critter control. These primates are valued as more than security guards. Hindus revere them as a symbol of the monkey deity Hanuman, whose simian army helped rescue Sita, the god Rama's wife, from a demon king, according to a Sanskrit epic. Langurs' black faces and extremities call to mind the burns that Hanuman suffered in the course of his heroism. The lifestyle of the monkeys reflects this state of grace. In the city of Jodhpur, at the edge of the Thar, or Great Indian, Desert, some 2,100 wild langurs regularly leap into human society to sample its goods. Local Hindus share picnics in parks and turn shrines into buffets of offerings for the monkeys. Some let the holy beasts glean from their gardens.

That's a nice change of pace from life in the Thar, where sizzling heat and scant moisture make survival a challenge, and the monkeys must scrounge for plants and occasional insects to eat. Since most langurs are tree dwellers, these often scamper high on the desert cliffs or perch on nearby rooftops. But the human population is growing fast in the region these days, and people may be tempted to retaliate if the monkeys' garden incursions turn into full-fledged crop raids. Even animals this beloved could wear out their welcome. Stefano Unterthiner, a zoologist turned photographer, is a regular contributor to the magazine. Jennifer S. Holland is a senior staff writer. | Purple-faced Langur-Endangered animals list-Our endangered animals | KONICA MINOLTA Endangered animals list Here you can search for an animal by the first letter of its name. Sorry, currently there are no matches for []. Please search again. Your search found types of animals. Purple-faced Langur Trachypithecus Vetulus Click the image to expand The Purple-faced Langur is a monkey that lives only in the forests of Sri Lanka.

Their numbers have dropped to a half over the last few decades due to deforestation and hunting. Body length: Male 49.5 to 60.8cm / Female 48.5 to 54cm Tail length: Male 61.8 to 85.3cm / Female 66.6 to 82cm Weight: Male 6.7 to 9.4kg / Female 5.1 to 7.5kg (Source: Doubutsu Sekai-isan* Red Data Animals Kodansha) (*World Animal Heritage) The Purple-faced Langur lives only in the forests of Sri Lanka. The Purple-faced Langur loves to eat tree leaves. The Purple-faced Langur lives in packs among rival packs within a small area. For this reason, the males engage in fierce territorial bouts to overtake other packs. Find out more about the Purple-faced Langur! Many packs live together in a small area The Purple-faced Langur is a monkey that lives only in Sri Lanka. They live in the forest sustaining mainly on tree leaves. The Purple-faced Langur forms a group of five to ten monkeys consisting of one leader male and several female monkeys and their children.

The group moves about in an area of about 20,000 to 30,000 square meters, which is relatively small compared to other types of monkeys. Each group guards its territory whilst living closely amongst other packs in a concentrated area. Their number will continue to decline, unless something is done... Due to Sri Lanka's deforestation and hunting, the Purple-faced Langur has dropped to a half of its existence in a matter of a few decades. Deforestation potentially destroys large numbers of Purple-faced Langurs at a time because they live in packs within small and concentrated areas. Unless something is done, the number of Purple-faced Langur could drop by another half in the next few decades.

Question: What kind of animal is a Langur?
Answer: Monkey